1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus which pre-opens and dispenses plastic bags from a continuous roll of plastic bags, which bags have seal lines, and perforation lines between them, with bar code indicia thereon, and which are fed through the apparatus and sensed by a bar code reader. The bag is pre-opened inside the apparatus, and may be manually pulled out one at a time by the user, whereupon the bag is fully opened by a blast of air, and then separated at the remaining perforation for removal and use, and which bags can be automatically dispensed by customer activation of an alternate embodiment of the apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of thin plastic bags to contain produce and other items is widespread in grocery and other stores.
These bags are of plastic film, and commonly provided on continuous perforated rolls from which a user pulls down a bag, tears it off at a perforation line, and then manually opens the end of the bag for use. The bags when removed are closed or folded. The plastic has a tendency to be electrically charged which causes the top and under side of the bag to stick or adhere together, which problem is compounded upon tearing of the bag as the ruptured perforations tend to stick together.
The customer typically wets his or her finger tips with saliva, touches the bag and opens the end. The customer then touches the food or produce and places the selected items in the bag. The customer is likely to contaminate the food items handled but not selected, spreading germs for other customers to contact.
Even with wetting the fingertips, the customer is often unable to open the bags and many are wasted.
Most of the prior art apparatus dispense bags in the closed condition, and examples of such apparatus are shown or described in the U.S. Patents to Heckrodt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,361; Kinard U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,726; Leider U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,094; Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,413; Horning U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,171; Simhaee U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,146; Simhaee U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,585; Daniels U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,084; Morris U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,019; and Simaee U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,262. In our prior application Ser. No. Pct/US98/05796 apparatus for opening and dispensing plastic bags is described, which while operational, suffers from pre-opening shortcomings due to its use of a linear actuator.
The apparatus of the invention, which does not suffer from prior art shortcomings clamps and pre-opens the bags while they are inside its cabinet, and fully opens a bag on the outside by a blast of air when pulled down by the customer, and if desired, the apparatus can automatically dispense fully opened bags upon the customers"" activating the apparatus.
This invention relates to apparatus for opening and dispensing plastic bags, which includes a cabinet wherein individual bags are fed from a continuous roll of bags, with seal lines and perforation lines therebetween, which bags carry bar code indicia which are sensed by a bar code reader, which causes a bag to be clamped and pre-opened. The bag is then manually or, automatically dispensed, is fully opened by an airblast, and then pulled off by the customer for use.
The principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus for opening and dispensing plastic bags, from a roll of bags.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus that manually or automatically opens and dispenses plastic bags.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus which is useful for dispensing a variety of lengths of plastic bags.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus which is simple and convenient to use.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus which is economical to operate.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus whose use promotes public health.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus which has improved pre-opening mechanism, and is durable in use.
Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.